The Best of the Rest - UFA Defensemen Still on the Market
by Bob Wage on Jul 12, 2009 9:37 PM EDT
30 comments
The Carolina Hurricanes are still in the market to sign a defenseman or two to fill a couple of open spaces on their blueline. Canes management has teased the media with information that they are shopping for a "veteran defenseman", but have not given any particulars and have left that to conjecture and guesswork. Here are the defensive players signed who are on the roster so far.
Tim Conboy is also signed and is listed as a defenseman, but has usually played forward while up at the big club. We won't count him on this list. Kaberle was healthy scratched quite often last season and it would be a stretch to count on him to play top four minutes. Wallin has played in the top four at times but the Canes would like another option.
Initially, Jim Rutherford mentioned that Anton Babchuk could be signed and would be paired in the top four, but with Babchuk's agent indicating that the "Big Unit" wanted a raise, Carolina management backed off that statement. Now they claim to be in the market for a veteran presence, but who might they be interested in?
Here is a listing of the top UFA defensemen still on the market. (This information is from NHL.com, with a hat-tip to Hockeymom for posting this in a fanpost comment.)
Martin Skoula Minnesota 4-12-16 in 81 GP
At 29, Skoula doesn’t bring a lot of offense to the table, but he’s been a reliable minutes-muncher for years and owns a Stanley Cup ring from his days in Colorado.
Mathieu Schneider Montreal 9-23-32 in 67 GP
Even at 40 Schneider remains a useful offensive force on the blue line, especially on the power play.
Sergei Zubov Dallas 0-4-4 in 10 GP
Now 38 and coming off two injury-filled seasons, but his smarts alone would help a contender in a limited role if he’s healthy.
Christian Backman Columbus 2-5-7
in 56 GP Backman was something of a disappointment for the Blue Jackets, who acquired him from the Rangers last summer. He might benefit from a change of scenery.
Derek Morris NY Rangers 5-15-20 in 75 GP
The 31-year-old is looking for a job after the poorest offensive season of his NHL career.
Cory Murphy Tampa Bay 5-11-16 in 32 GP
Murphy does a good job running a power play and can move the puck. His biggest drawbacks have been a lack of size and the inability to stay healthy.
Andrew Alberts Philadelphia 1-12-13 in 79 GP
28-year-old is a solid third-pair defenseman who’s likely going to be looking for a new home following the Chris Pronger deal.
Darryl Sydor Dallas 3-12-15 in 73 GP
At 37, he can bring a couple of Stanley Cup rings, serve as a mentor for young defenders and still contribute on the ice.
Dennis Seidenberg Carolina 5-25-30 in 70 GP
The almost-28-year-old is coming off the best season of his career and showed he can play major minutes (22:19 average ice time in ’08-09).
Marc Andre Bergeron Minnesota 14-18-32 in 72 GP
Big gun from the point, especially on the power play, but not nearly as good in his own zone.
A couple of other players that the Canes could be interested in are Ossi Vaananen, a big strong defenseman who played for both the Canucks and Flyers last season, and maybe even Marek Malik, a player originally drafted by the Hartford Whalers, but who has been around the circuit since being traded to the Canucks in 2003. While Malik is a big player at 6'5, he is not known for his physicality.
Keep in mind that the Hurricanes have several prospects who might be very close to making the next step to the NHL. Bryan Rodney, Casey Borer, Brett Carson, Jamie McBain, and now Jay Harrison could each be considered strong candidates for the 5 and 6 positions, but it would be asking too much for them to step into the top four.
Interestingly enough, Dennis Seidenberg, a player who's agent Jim Rutherford declared was "way out of whack" with his numbers, has still not been signed. Also after all the initial hard talk, the team seems to have taken a softer position concerning Babchuk. Would it be terribly shocking if either or both of those players ended up back in Raleigh?
First things first for Rutherford though. The team probably has to know how much they will need to pay Tuomo Ruutu before they get serious with offers for another defenseman. Interesting days are still ahead.
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I wonder if we will take 1 or 2 defensemen, and how much JR will be willing to spend? I guess the last sentence “sums” up the cost analysis- we are probably going to have to wait and see how the Ruu contract works out.
But, considering the Eastern Conference has some of the best goal scorers in the league, I would like to go into the season with two more decent defensemen in case of an injury, etc.
by PittsburghCaniac on Jul 12, 2009 10:50 PM EDT reply actions
correction- last sentence of Bubbas article sums up the cost analysis.
by PittsburghCaniac on Jul 12, 2009 10:50 PM EDT up reply actions
I’ll throw out Greg de Vries as a viable option as well. I’d take him over a few of those guys.
by Cory Lavalette on Jul 12, 2009 11:39 PM EDT reply actions
What about filip kuba, mcKee, Morris, Havled, boucher, kalinin, boucher, skula, boullion, beachemain, Malik, eminger, nemenin. Not spelled well, i know, it’s hockey names. Alot of stuff in the pool, but Seids is a contender by numbers and is already here by logistics. dunno, here’s a link to a site i like:
http://www.sportscity.com/nhl/2009-nhl-unrestricted-free-agents-by-position/
Usually has good info.
A
Several of the players on that list have already been signed...
McKee, Kalinin, and Beachemin to name a few…
Was wondering how Kalinin and beachemain were not signed yet. Still a fair bit of players left out there. I hope Cole or Ruutu, if we sign him, developes a hatred og Pronger about as strong as mine. I’d buy tickets to see Pronger get crushed a couple times in an eve. I really dislike that dude. On the flip side the SOB plays a solid game. The East in general has gotten stronger, never understood the hype behind bowmeister, we’ll see if he is what he is supposed to be over there, now. Not a big loss for the East thjough. If we lose Babs and Seids, we need a replacement and for the love of Mike buy out Kaberle and Wallin or get rid of them for a 9th round pick or something.
A
Bouwmeester was a Staal eraser … glad to see him go.
by Cory Lavalette on Jul 13, 2009 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions
I am wondering about this age issue: if we’re looking for top-4 D, how many veterans >35 can handle those kind of minutes and hits for 80 games/season? I think we need “fresh meat”.
Maybe Ruuts will take a bit of a cut to allow the team to get someone strong….(Jussi would !) You’d think a trip to the SCF will only enhance his options down the road.
Last – Bubba – since when are there “hat-tips” in hockey? What the heck is this blog: Golf Digest? I appreciate that you found the link useful, but if there’s a next time to mention a contribution, I expect a “helmet tap”, or at the very least, a virtual fist-bump. =D
Let's go Canes!
Hakkaa Paalle!
Glad we got that straightened out.
Let's go Canes!
Hakkaa Paalle!
by hockeymomof2 on Jul 13, 2009 10:33 AM EDT up reply actions
I like that too – thanks.
Now we just need a text-icon to indicate it. Something like:
OOOOOOOOOOOOO (players on bench)
-—————L———- (top of the board with a hockey stick)
Let's go Canes!
Hakkaa Paalle!
by hockeymomof2 on Jul 13, 2009 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions
This is a winner.
Remember, kids...don't ever let facts get in the way of your argument.
by MichaelProcton on Jul 13, 2009 3:44 PM EDT up reply actions
I wanted to say that, but couldn't come up with somethign cool to call it.
Remember, kids...don't ever let facts get in the way of your argument.
by MichaelProcton on Jul 13, 2009 3:44 PM EDT up reply actions
Just say No to the GG!
We don’t need the Gentle Giant back in Carolina! He won’t be bringing his highlight reel spin-o-rama shootout heroics here!
I say Morris. He’d be a good deal after last year.
After all is said and done, I just can’t help but think the search for a “vet. defenseman” is another smoke cloud and mirror for JR. We’ll just end up resigning Seids or Babs.
I agree. I think JR is in no hurry. Again the goalie’s patience, watching and waiting, rather than committing too soon and get caught guessing wrong.
Morris looks good – except he made $3.95mil last year. How much of a cut would he take to play in Raleigh?
Let's go Canes!
Hakkaa Paalle!
by hockeymomof2 on Jul 13, 2009 10:57 AM EDT up reply actions
The majority of the players listed are more offensive minded while the Canes should be in the market for a bigger, more physical stay at home guy. I would say Skoula, Alberts, Vaananen. Vaananen may also be the one to meet the Canes constraints when it comes to the budget.
I think Mathieu Schneider would be a great option. He is 40, but he can produce offense. The dream scenario would be to get rid of kabs and sign Schneider to a one year deal. Then we can bring up one of the young guys and Schneider can possibly take him under his wing. Perhaps McBain could value from Glen Wesley’s D advice and Schneider’s O advice.
I like Schneider. Perhaps he would take a 1-1.5 mil one year deal? I would be happy with it.
Member of Canes Country and the Cat Scratch Reader
I dunno … he made nearly $6M last year. I’m not saying he’s worth that much again, but he might want more like the $2M range.
by Cory Lavalette on Jul 13, 2009 11:49 AM EDT up reply actions
Schneider made 5.75mil last year...
Marc-Andre Bergeron has similar build (small for the big-minded 2009-2010 pick ups) and posted the same number of points while providing a better PIM and +/- last year. Guy is really good on the pp, a need for the ’Canes, and comes at the 1-1.5 mil price…
Bergeron’s a mess in his own end, though.
by Cory Lavalette on Jul 13, 2009 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions
And as said above – I really think our priority is shut-down (intimidating) defense against some of these hot-shot forwards we face, not blue line offense.
Let's go Canes!
Hakkaa Paalle!
by hockeymomof2 on Jul 13, 2009 12:11 PM EDT up reply actions
Comrie
I don’t think there’s a nice way of saying it, other than he looks like he’s suffering withdrawl symptoms of some sort.
Huh?
Remember, kids...don't ever let facts get in the way of your argument.
by MichaelProcton on Jul 13, 2009 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions
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